Expert axed as FMD outbreak escalates

AS THE Western Cape intensifies its response to Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) with a R100 million emergency intervention, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen has removed a senior livestock expert from the national task team overseeing the country’s response.

- MURRAY SWART

Dr Danie Odendaal, a veteran ruminant veterinarian and widely regarded livestock health specialist, was informed on Tuesday that his membership of the Ministerial Task Team on Controlled Diseases had been terminated.

In a letter to Odendaal, Steenhuisen wrote: “You have, as to date, not signed the required declaration, which is indeed disappointing.”

He added that Odendaal’s membership was “hereby terminated and rescinded with immediate effect”.

The declaration refers to an Impartiality and Confidentiality undertaking required of task team members.

Odendaal has served on ministerial task teams dealing with foot-and-mouth disease since 2016 and contributed veterinary expertise to national policy discussions. In recent weeks, he had publicly expressed concerns about aspects of government's handling of the outbreak, including vaccine strategy and the pace of the response. His removal came after those comments.